Natural Treatments for Toothaches

How to Temporarily Relieve Toothaches at Home

Nothing is worse than having your day ruined by a toothache. Since there are many different causes for toothaches, it is almost necessary to go to the dentist to find out what the problem is and receive treatment. But, more often than not, it is impossible to get a dentist appointment the same day the toothache occurs, so it is up to you to temporarily treat the pain as best you can. Here are some natural toothache pain remedies you can try at home to help take away some of the pain.

Salt Water

Salt water is a very popular way to soothe many different oral aliments. Salt can help to relieve inflammation of the gums, which can often help to lessen some of the pain of a toothache. Additionally, salt can help to stop of the spread of bacteria in the mouth. Using salt water to treat a toothache is simple – add a heaping teaspoon of table salt to warm water and swish it around in your mouth for 30 to 45 seconds and spit it out. This can be repeated throughout the day as needed to relieve pain.

Clove Oil

Using clove oil for oral pain is an age-old remedy that is very effective. Mixing two to 3 drops of clove oil with a quarter of a teaspoon of olive oil, putting it on a cotton ball and placing it on the pain point inside your mouth can help to soothe the area and relieve the pain. Clove oil has antibacterial properties that will help to kill the bacteria and also acts as a mild, local anesthetic to help numb the offending tooth pain. This can be discretely done at work or school by placing the cotton on the tooth and biting down.

Pain Medicine

Over the counter pain medicines can also offer temporary pain relief for toothaches. Ibuprophen and aspirin both help to reduce inflammation, which could be causing the toothache pain. Acetaminophen will act on the body’s nervous system, instead of attacking the inflammation, and will help to block the pain messages being sent from the mouth to the brain. Be careful when using painkillers – make sure to follow the prescription instructions and consult a doctor or dentist if you have any questions.

It is important to keep in mind that these natural remedies are only meant for temporary pain relief. If a toothache lasts longer than a day or two, make sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist – a toothache, while annoying, can be a symptom of an underlying, more serious problem. If you don’t have dental insurance, consider enrolling in the Wellness Dental Plan, an alternative New Hampshire dental insurance plan. For more information, please click here.

*Photo Courtesy of Garry Knight via Creative Commons License